On July 8, Canada opened applications for permanent residency to 4,500 Express Entry candidates. Only candidates who are eligible for the Canadian Experience Class were invited to participate in the invitation phase (CEC).
The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score required for this draw was 369.
The cutoff score increased from the previous CEC round when it was 357 and only 6,000 invites were sent out. The CEC draw was also the smallest since May 20.
The tie-break rule applied to candidates with the lowest score who submitted their profiles by June 10, 2021, at 22:46:37 UTC in this invitation round.
Candidates who applied after this deadline and received the minimum score were not eligible for this draw.
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High Number of ITAs issued compared to last year
When compared to the same time last year, IRCC has invited around twice as many Express Entry candidates.
Canada has invited 93,842 Express Entry candidates so far in 2021.
In 2021, Canada hopes to have 108,500 permanent residents thanks to the Express Entry system.
The IRCC plans to process these applications in six months, but due to coronavirus-related disruptions, it is currently taking longer on average.
Not everyone who receives an Invitation to Apply (ITA) will be granted permanent residence. Some people may not apply, while others may be turned down.
Since the beginning of the year, IRCC has been hosting a CEC draw after a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw.
This explains why the minimum score criteria have changed so significantly since the beginning of the year.
Because they all obtained 600 points as a result of their provincial nomination, PNP candidates have higher Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score cutoffs.
Because it is easier to admit immigrants who are already in the country during COVID periods, IRCC has been focused on these individuals.
They are most likely already in Canada, according to CEC.
PNP candidates also have a large number of domestic candidates, and those who are from outside of Canada have proven to a provincial government that their presence in Canada will help regional labor market goals.
Recent Express Entry / CEC Draws
| Draw # | Date | ITA | CRS | Program |
| 196 | July 8th, 2021 | 4,500 | 369 | CEC |
| 195 | July 7th, 2021 | 627 | 760 | PNP |
| 194 | June 24, 2021 | 6,000 | 357 | CEC |
| 193 | June 23, 2021 | 1,002 | 742 | PNP |
| 192 | June 10, 2021 | 6,000 | 368 | CEC |
| 191 | June 9, 2021 | 940 | 711 | PNP |
| 190 | May 31, 2021 | 5,956 | 380 | CEC |
| 189 | May 26, 2021 | 500 | 713 | PNP |
| 188 | May 20, 2021 | 1,842 | 397 | CEC |
| 187 | May 13, 2021 | 4,147 | 401 | CEC |
| 186 | May 12, 2021 | 557 | 752 | PNP |
| 185 | April 29, 2021 | 6,000 | 400 | CEC |
| 184 | April 28, 2021 | 381 | 717 | PNP |
| 183 | April 16, 2021 | 6,000 | 417 | CEC |
| 182 | April 14, 2021 | 266 | 753 | PNP |
| 181 | April 1, 2021 | 5,000 | 432 | CEC |
| 180 | March 31, 2021 | 284 | 778 | PNP |
| 179 | March 18, 2021 | 5,000 | 449 | CEC |
| 178 | March 17, 2021 | 183 | 682 | PNP |
| 177 | March 8, 2021 | 671 | 739 | PNP |
| 176 | February 13, 2021 | 27,332 | 75 | CEC |
| 175 | February 10, 2021 | 654 | 720 | PNP |
| 174 | January 21, 2021 | 4626 | 454 | CEC |
| 173 | January 20, 2021 | 374 | 741 | PNP |
| 172 | January 7, 2021 | 4750 | 461 | CEC |
| 171 | January 6, 2021 | 250 | 813 | PNP |
| 170 | December 23, 2020 | 5000 | 468 | No program specified |
| 169 | December 9, 2020 | 5000 | 469 | No program specified |
| 168 | November 25, 2020 | 5000 | 469 | No program specified |
| 167 | November 18, 2020 | 5000 | 472 | No program specified |
| 166 | November 05, 2020 | 4500 | 478 | No program specified |
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry controls and manages the applications for Federal High Skilled programs, which include the:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program,
- Federal Skilled Trades Program, and
- Canadian Experience Class.
Some PNPs also utilize the Express Entry system to invite immigration candidates to apply for a provincial nomination.
If you are qualified for Express Entry and enter your profile into the pool.
You will receive a score based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
The CRS awards you points based on your education, age, skilled work experience, official language skills, and other factors.
The immigration ministry invites the highest-scoring candidates to apply for Canadian permanent residence through regular Express Entry draws.
After you apply, an immigration officer at IRCC makes a decision on your application.
If you are approved, the last step is to finish your landing process and officially become a permanent resident.
How To Apply For Express Entry
If you want to apply for Express Entry, below are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Find out if you are eligible
Many interested candidates do not always know whether they are eligible for the program. To find out your eligibility status, check our resource page.
Step 2: Get your documents ready
You need to put all your documents together to apply for Express Entry.
You may need documents, such as language test results (e.g IELTS), to show that you are eligible for Express Entry.
Some documents take a long time to get, so you should start planning on getting them ready now.
Step 3: Submit your profile
After getting your documents ready, your next step is to open a valid Express Entry profile.
This profile enables you to give detailed information about yourself.
If you are eligible, IRCC will accept you into the pool of candidates.
You will be ranked in the Express Entry pool using a points-based system.
Your score is based on the information provided in your profile.
Step 4: Receive an invitation and apply for permanent residence
IRCC sends invitations to apply to the candidates with the highest scores in the pool.
If you are successful, you will receive an invitation to apply, where you are given 90 days to submit your application for permanent residence.
Ensure you submit all supporting documents to enable the immigration department to process your application.
Processing time for Express Entry usually takes 6 months or less.
Once your application is approved and successful, you will receive confirmation of permanent residence (COPR) from IRCC.
With your COPR, you can complete your landing process in Canada.
What is the average processing time for Express Entry Canada?
Express Entry is a program that allows people to enter Canada quickly.
The full procedure may take six months, or even less, for eligible candidates who receive an invitation to apply (ITA) immediately after entering the pool and then quickly submit a comprehensive application.
The following variables, however, may cause this timeline to be extended and should be considered:
Firstly, while some candidates are invited shortly after entering the Express Entry pool, others may obtain an ITA until months later or not at all.
These depend on their CRS score and CRS cut-off thresholds in Express Entry draws.
Secondly, some invited candidates may be ready to apply for immigration to Canada shortly after receiving their invitation, while others may require more time than the 60 days provided.
While the IRCC seeks to complete applications in six months, some applications may take longer, and some decisions on other applications may be made sooner.
How To Improve CRS Points Score for Canada Experience Class (CEC)
If you need help improving your CRS score before the next Express Entry Draw in July here are key ways to improve your CRS score.
In the following weeks, months, and years, more invites are expected to be given, benefiting people and families from all over the world who aspire to make Canada their permanent home.
The Comprehensive Ranking System is a 1,200-point scale that is used to compare federal economic applicants.
It’s part of the Express Entry system, which began processing permanent residency applications in January 2015.
The score is used as a cut-off point in Express Entry draws. Its purpose is to forecast a candidate’s chances of achieving economic success in Canada.
You can also keep up with Canada’s immigration news and special immigration draws with our Newsfeed.